Support device for physically handicapped



Dec. 11, 1956 J. CHASIN SUPPORT DEVICE FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED 2Sheets-Sheet 1 1M 'EA TOR. JOSEPH OMS/N Filed March 18, 1953 Dec. 11,1956 J. CHASIN SUPPORT DEVICE FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed March 18, 1953 INVEN TOR. l/OSEPH C/ms/zv Kama;

4 TTORNEY 2,773,542 Patented Dec. 11, 1956 United States Patent OfiiceSUPPORT DEVICE FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED Joseph Chasin, New York, N. Y.

Application March 18, 1953, Serial No. 343,071

7 Claims. (Cl. 155-1) The present invention relates to an improvedsupport device for the physically handicapped and inexpert, and itrelates more particularly to an improved support device to assist thephysically handicapped and inexpert in the use of commodes and similararticles.

Physical therapists, Doctors, Rehabilitation Centers, The VeteransAdministration and others Working with the disabled, the physicallyhandicapped, the aged and the infirm have long recommended the use ofhand grip sup ports at the commode. Such supports are not only a safetyfactor but they very often make possible the use of the commode by thepatient without the aid of an attendant. The use of these supports areindicated in cases of heart conditions, arthritis, paraplegia, paralysisresulting from stroke, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cerebralpalsy, Parkinsons Disease, amputees, polio, old age infirmities andtemporary illnesses, to mention but a few.

Usually, when supports at the commode are required by a patient, thesolution is either a permanent and costly railing built into the tilework of the bathroom, or a poorly designed makeshift device, or, toooften, no support at all because of the trouble involved in getting arailing designed and made up. Furthermore, the conventional supports,when used in the home toilet, are generally unslightly and detractgreatly from the appearance of the room.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide animproved support device for the physically handicapped, the disabled,the inexpert, the aged and the infirm. I p

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedsupport device to assist the physically handicapped and inexpert in theuse of commodes and similar articles.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedsupport device for use with a commode to assist the physicallyhandicapped in transferring from a wheelchair or crutches to a commode.

' A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedsupport device for assisting the physically handicapped in the use of acommode, which device is of simple and rugged construction and possessesan attractive appearance.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a supportdevice for the physically handicapped, which device is highly portableand may be employed with a commode without any attachment thereto, orthe device may be removably secured to the commode for greater rigidity.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a support deviceof the aforesaid nature which is adjustable, simple to assemble, andcollapsible to permit its easy storage and transportation.

The above and further objects of the present invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description takenin conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective viewof an improved support device in accordance with a preferred embodimentof the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of theimproved device illustrated asbeing applied to a conventional commode;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the improved support device illustratedin operative position as employed with a conventional commode;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view thereof;

Figure 5 is a detail plan view of a mechanism for removably securing thesupport device to a commode; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 66 of Figure 5.

The present invention broadly contemplates the provision of a supportdevice for the physically handicapped comprising a substantiallyU-s'haped horizontal base member having side legs, a cross leg and arearwardly directed open end, a substantially U-shaped frame memberdisposed above said base member and having side legs, a cross leg, andhaving a forwardly directed open end, and a pair of laterally spacedvertically extending members secured to the respective side legs of saidbase member and said frame member.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, atransversely extending, upwardly directed vertical lower U-shaped memberis mounted on each of the side legs of the base member. Downwardlydirected, corresponding upper U-shaped support members formed of tubularmaterial slidably engage the lower U-shaped member whose legs telescopethe legs of the upper support member. The leg portions of the lowersupport members are provided with a plurality of vertically spaced,laterally extending holes, and each of the leg portions of the uppersupport members is provided with a laterally extending hole which may bebrought into alignment with a selected set of the holes in the lower legportions and secured in position by means of suitable bolts and wingnuts, thereby to permit adjustment of the support device. The framemember is secured in a horizontal position to the side legs of the uppersupport member at a level below the cross member. Suitably formed armrests are mounted on the cross arms of the upper U-shaped supportmembers. The various members forming the approved structure arecollapsibly assembled by means of bolts and wing nuts. In order topermit a rigid, semi-permanent installation of the support device, arearwardly extending securing member is mounted on the cross arm of theframe member and is provided with laterally spaced openings permittingits fastening to a toilet bowl by means of the toilet seat hinge posts.

Reference is now made to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1to 4 thereof, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the method of applying the same to a commode and its positionin use. The numeral 10 generally designates a rearwardly directedU-shaped base member having side legs 12 and a cross leg 14. It shouldbe noted that when the direction of a U-shaped member is referred to, itis meant to designate the direction in which the free ends of the sidelegs are pointed. Secured to the under-face of the base member 10 bymeans of suitable fasteners 16 are nonskid footings 18 formed of stripsof rubber or other similar material thereby minimizing the possibilityof lateral or transverse movement of the support device while in use.Mounted on each of the side legs 12 of the base 10 is a lower supportmember 20 of U-shaped configuration andupwardly directed, and providedWith'vertically extending side legs 22 and a cross leg 24 removablysecured to the respective base side legs 11 by means of suitablefasteners 26. The lower support members 20 are parallel, and disposedintermediate the ends of the corresponding base side legs 12, and eachof the support side legs 22 has a plurality of vertically spaced lateraldiametrie openings 28 formed therein, the corresponding openings 28 ineach leg 22 being at substantially the same horizontal level.

A pair of upper vertical support members 30 are provided, each beingsubstantially U-shaped downwardly directed, and formed of a tubularmaterial whose inner diameter is substantially equal to the outerdiameter of the material forming the lower support members 20. Thesupport members 30 have side legs 32 having laterial diametric openings34 formed therein adjacent the lower ends of the side legs 32 whichopenings 34 are of substantially the same diameter as the openings 28 inthe lower support side legs 22. Furthermore, the lower support side legs22 slidably telescope the upper support side legs 32 and are adjustablylocked at the desired level by means of bolts and wing nuts or othersuitable fasteners 36 which pass through the openings 34 and selectedopenings 28. A pair of downwardly directed channel shaped arm rests 38are supported on and embrace the cross legs 40 of the upper supportmember 30 and extend along and project beyond the ends of the cross legs40.

A reinforcing and stiffening frame member 42, likewise of U-shapedconfiguration and forwardly directed, is provided with side legs 44connected by a cross leg 46. The frame member 42 is horizontallydisposed, and removably connected to the upper supports 30 by means ofwing nuts and bolts 48 passing through aligned openings in the uppersupport side legs 32 and the frame member side legs 44, which are incontact with side legs 21 at points substantially intermediate the endsthereof. It should be noted that the frame cross leg 46 is slightlyforward of the free ends 12' of the base side legs 12 and the forwardends of the frame side legs 44 extend just forward of the support frontside legs 32. Supported in the side legs 32 of the upper support 30,directly below the frame member 42, are receptacles or pockets as 50which may be used as magazine or book racks, or for any other desirablepurposes. The improved support device may be made of any suitablematerial. However, for reasons of portability, the base and framemembers 10, 42, and the support members 20, 30 are preferably formed oftubular members of a light metal such as aluminum or magnesrum.

In Figures 2 to 4 of the drawings, the improved support device is shownapplied to and used with a conventional commode including a bowl 60 anda flush tank 62 connected thereto by a pipe elbow 64. The bowl 60 isprovided with an upper flange 66 having a pair of laterally spacedvertical holes formed in the rear portion thereof and engaging dependingthreaded shanks 68 of hinge posts 70, which are secured by nuts 72.Rotatably connected to the hinge posts 70 in the usual manner are atoilet seat 74 and a lid 76. In locating the improved support device inits proper operable position in relation to the commode, it is tiltedupwardly, as illustrated in Figure 2, around the cross leg 14 of thebase until the frame cross leg 46 clears the closed lid 76, and is thenpushed to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings andpermitted to come to rest with the frame cross leg 46 positioned just tothe rear of the bowl 60 at the level of the flange 66. It is apparentthat access to the cornmode is unimpeded, and suitable reinforced armrests provided.

For such cases where a spastic condition exists or where the movement ofa heavy person might be conducive to unsteadiness of the support device,a supplementary fitting 80 is provided to firmly anchor the frame to thehardware of'the commode. The fitting 80 includes a pair of laterallyspaced brackets 82 hingedly engaging the frame cross leg 46 andsupporting between them a flat strip 84 having a pair of laterallyspaced slots 86 formed thereon. In securing the support device to thecommode, the level of the frame members 42 is adjusted as earlierdescribed, so that the strip 84 is at substantially that of the top ofthe bowl 60. The hinge posts 70 are removed by disengaging the nuts 72from the threaded shanks 68, the strip 84 placed on the bowl flange 66with the slots 86 registering with the holes in the flange 66, and thehinge posts 70 replaced and the nuts 72 relocated and tightened, therebysecuring the support device in a fixed position and obviating thepossibility of its shifting or tilting.

While there have been described and illustrated preferred embodiments ofthe present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations andomissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. A support device for the physically handicapped consisting of anopen-ended and continuous U-shaped base member having a front cross legand rearwardly directed side legs, non-skid elements affixed to andextending along the underfaces of said side legs, the bottom surface ofsaid non-skid elements lying along a common, substantially horizontalplane, a pair of laterally spaced upright legs mounted on the rearportions of said side legs, a horizontal cross member secured to andextending between said upright legs at points between the ends thereofand being vertically adjustable relative to said base member, andforwardly directed arm rest members mounted on said upright legs abovesaid cross member.

2. A support device for the physically handicapped consisting of anopen-ended and continuous U-shaped base member having a front cross legand rearwardly directed side legs, non-skid elements affixed to andextending along the underfaces of said side legs, the bottom surfaces ofsaid non-skid elements lying along a substantially common horizontalplane, a pair of laterally spaced substantially parallel U-shaped sidemembers having cross legs afiixed to said base member side legs andhaving upwardly directed front and rear legs, a cross member secured toand extending between said upwardly directed rear legs at points abovethe bottom thereof, and arm rest members mounted on said side membersabove said cross-member.

3. A support device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said crossmember is of U-shaped configuration and is vertically adjustablerelative to said base member.

4. A support device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said arm restmembers are vertically adjustable.

5. A support device for the physically handicapped, comprising ahorizontal, open ended U-shaped base arm having rearwardly directed sidelegs, non-skid elements afi'ixed to and extending along the underfacesof said side legs, the bottom surface of said non-skid elements lyingalong a common, substantially horizontal plane, a vertical supportmounted on each of said base member side legs and including a lowerU-shaped member having upwardly directed front and rear legs and a crossleg connected to a corresponding base member side leg, and an upperU-shaped member having a cross leg and downwardly directed front andrear side legs secured to the corresponding side legs of said lowerU-shaped member, said upper and lower U-shaped members being verticallyadjustable relative to one another, means for locking said U-shapedmembers in said predetermined relative positions, and a substantiallyhorizontal cross arm supported by and between said rear side legsandabove said U-shaped base member, the front of said device beingsubstantially unimpeded above said base member in a direction toward therear of said device.

6. A support device in accordance with claim 5, including arm restsmounted on the cross legs of said upper U-shaped support members.

7. A support device in accordance with claim 5, where- 5 in said sidelegs of said vertical support U-shaped members are telescopicallyinterconnected.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.146,347 Clairmonte et a1 Feb. 18, 1947 45,302 Strawbridge Nov. 20, 18641,013,711 Wiggins Jan. 2, 1912 1,764,137 Zundel June 17, 1930

